1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a holding device for collecting residual viscous fluids within a container to the cap-ends for eventual complete consumption of the container""s contents.
2. Description of Related Art
Collection, drainage and transfer devices for containers holding viscous fluids are known in the art. However, none provide for versatile use of a single device which can be used in a daily routine where a product is normally placed for use such as in a refrigerator, including a refrigerator door, on a shelf within a tub enclosure or in a corner of the tub enclosure, on a shelf or floor of a shower enclosure, or in innumerable other places, wherein the holder of the container has the capability to hold most size and style containers holding consumable items such as shampoo, ketchup, mustard, relish, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, oil, cosmetic creams and lotions, including suntan lotion, among numerous other household products. The height, width and shape of most household products are so diverse that no single device used for draining fluids is capable of holding several different inverted containers in a stable manner. Most consumers resort to leaning the container upside down against an adjacent wall or corner or between other containers in order to drain the contents near the cap end for eventual complete use. This process of balancing the inverted container can be time consuming and an irritation to the user. Any slight movement in the area often causes the container to tumble to a horizontal orientation, thereby frustrating the attempts to collect the contents and to minimize waste within the container, hence wasting consumer dollars.
Known related art includes an apparatus for draining fluid containers as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,860 to Connor. This apparatus is fairly cumbersome and limited as to where it can be placed to be used as compared to the present invention. It does not have the ability to allow water that enters the interior surfaces of the apparatus to readily escape from the bottom of the apparatus should the apparatus be used in a shower. It primarily secures the cap instead of conforming to the size and shape of the container itself thereby not being as stable as the present invention. The apparatus cannot hold containers with a pointedly-shaped cap such as a mustard dispensing container, whereas the present invention solves this common problem. Most other known related art are primarily liquid transfer or dispensing devices which include U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,957 to Belokin, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,704 to Carr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,878 to Bologa, U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,533 to McHale, U.S. Pat. No. 2,767,744 to Beerman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,063 to Pascarella, U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,879 to Blaser, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,267 to Seablom.
None of the devices in the above references solve the problem of providing a compact device which can be used in a person""s daily routine where product would normally be placed around the household such as in the kitchen, including in a refrigerator, and in a bathroom. The device of the present invention allows for the storage of consumable product within its own container in a ready for immediate use state and in such a manner as to minimize waste of product and time. Further, none of the related prior art provide for a device which can accommodate the innumerable shapes and styles of each container holding shampoos, lotions, creams, condiments, sauces, among countless other household products. Many dispensing containers also include pointed caps which limit the ability of a consumer to invert the container and lean it against an adjacent wall or corner in order to drain the residual contents near the cap end.
With the present invention, there is no need to attempt to transfer the residual from one container to another which can cause spillage, especially where cap sizes may vary. Instead, complete consumption from the original container is obtained without any effort other than to invert the bottle and store it in the present invention. The present invention can be placed on a refrigerator shelf or refrigerator door shelf without taking an undue amount of space. It can be placed in a shower area or tub area without creating a hazard, or being unsightly as a cylinder leaning against a wall or corner might appear.
Another object of the present invention would provide a device which is child safe, waterproof and sanitary, while providing a low cost household product to consumers to ensure the maximum use of consumable products. Consumers recognize that the wasted product that remains in a container and are disposed with the container is costly to the consumer and potentially harmful to the environment; however, many consumers prefer to dispose of such waste than to take the time to attempt to transfer residual contents from one container to another. Others do not want to deal with the mess that is sometimes created when transferring from one container to another, while others just do not want to spend the time watching a very slow process of drippage and drainage of viscous fluids from one container to another. The present invention solves these concerns and problems.
The present invention is a holding device for collecting adjacent an outlet spout the residual contents from a container for eventual complete consumption of said residual contents.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a rigid conical-shaped base portion and a flexible conical-shaped upper portion. The flexible conical-shaped upper portion is hollow and its apex end is inserted into the rigid base portion wherein it is concentrically engaged with the base portion by resting therein. Although the engagement between the upper and base portions may simply be the gravitational resting of the upper portion within the base portion hollow opening, the preferred engagement is adhesively engaging the outer surface of the flexible conical-shaped upper portion with the base portion at the point of contact near the upper edge of the base portion.
Although the preferred embodiment includes a rigid conical-shaped base portion, any shape base portion such as a rectangular, square, pyramidal or other shape, may be used with a hollow interior. However, material cost should be reduced with a conical-shaped rigid base portion. In addition, such a base in most cases require less space where used while maintaining adequate stability.
The preferred embodiment further includes a plurality of concavities or weep holes along the bottom edge of the base portion. Eventhough one or two concavities or weep holes would suffice, it would be more practical and efficient to provide a plurality of concavities or weep holes ranging from 30xc2x0 to 90xc2x0 apart. Although the concavities or weep holes could be closer, their functionality would probably not improve significantly, if at all, over concavities or weep holes spaced 30xc2x0 to 45xc2x0 apart. This feature allows for drainage of water from condensation on the outer surface of a container or from a shower that sprays the outer surface of the bottle whereby the water drips along the surfaces of the bottle and along the inside surfaces of the device. The water can escape through the plurality of concavities to maintain the device dry and sanitary.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a cylindrical-shaped base portion instead of a conical-shaped base portion. An alternative method of engaging the flexible upper portion to the rigid cylindrical-shaped base portion is accomplished by inserting an annular ring from the inside surface of the upper portion of tightly engage and compress the flexible upper portion against the inside surface of the base portion near the base portion""s upper edge. Although there are several other possible engagement means known in the art, adhesive engagement is believed to be more practical and cost effective to ensure minimal production cost and consequential lower cost to the consumer.
The rigid base portion can be made of several materials which can be easily handled, cleaned and sanitized with minimal chances of breakage. Preferably, a plastic, a nylon, or a durable hard rubber material is used. A metal material may also be used. These materials can be decoratively designed and painted to enhance the interior design of a kitchen or bathroom. Ceramic may also be used; however, it is not a preferred material as breakage could result if the device is mishandled.
The flexible conical-shaped upper portion is preferably made of a foam rubber material that can form to the shape of most size and style containers, although it can be made from a flexible rubber or flexible plastic material. The inherent gripping properties of such material thereby ensure greater stability and balance while holding the container in an inverted orientation.
Although it may not be necessary in most cases, depending on the material, thickness of material, and shape chosen for the rigid base portion, a non-skid material may be adhesively applied to the bottom surface of the rigid portion to assist in the prevention of sliding on a smooth surface such as a shelf in a fiberglass tub or shower enclosure.
The principal object of the invention is to provide a device which is child safe, sanitary, easy to clean, easy to use with no extra effort by the consumer and minimizes waste thereby reducing cost to the consumer as well as waste disposal cost and environmental cost.